Game changing therapy for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis now available in Canada

Video: Esbriet (Pirfenidone) - First Treatment for IPF Now Available In Canada.

BURLINGTON, ON, Jan. 17, 2013 /CNW/ - When diagnosed with idiopathic
pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive, debilitating and ultimately
fatal disease of the lungs, patients have had minimal treatment options
- until today. Following Health Canada's market approval of Esbriet™
(pirfenidone) ["Esbriet"] on October 1, 2012, InterMune Canada Inc. has
announced that the only treatment indicated for mild to moderate IPF in
adults is now available in Canada.

"Prior to the availability of Esbriet, we had very little to offer our
IPF patients, as there were no effective treatments," said Charles
Chan, M.D., IPF researcher and Consultant Respirologist at University
Health Network, and Professor and Vice-Chair of Medicine, University of
Toronto. "Esbriet really is a game-changer. I am excited to finally
have a treatment option with proven benefits for patients who are
living with this deadly and life-limiting disease."

Esbriet was approved by Health Canada following a priority review
granted due to the seriousness of IPF and the significant medical need
for treatment. Esbriet is the only drug approved in Canada with a
specific IPF indication. Developed by InterMune Inc., the treatment has
been shown to slow disease progression and to decrease the decline in
lung function in adult patients with mild to moderate IPF, when
compared to placebo. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal
(nausea, vomiting) and skin (photosensitivity) relatedi.

"On this pivotal day for IPF patients, we are proud to make Esbriet
available in Canada and we now want to ensure it is appropriately
accessible," said Daniel Welch, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and
President of InterMune. "Patient access to treatment is a priority for
InterMune and we are working diligently with public and private payers
and reimbursement agencies to make Esbriet accessible to appropriate
Canadian patients who may benefit from this new treatment option."

Patient survey reveals impact of unmet medical needAnInvestigation into Patient Experiences with IPFii revealed that new, safe and effective treatment options for IPF are
needed to address low patient satisfaction levels. According to the
survey, IPF patients were dissatisfied with the lack of effective
therapy and 36 per cent of patients discontinued their experimental
treatment because their doctor indicated the treatment was ineffective.

"Through this survey, Canadians clearly conveyed that the frightening
diagnosis of IPF along with its low life expectancy is made
considerably more difficult by the lack of treatment options
available," said Robert Davidson, President of the Canadian Pulmonary
Fibrosis Foundation (CPFF). "With the availability of Esbriet in
Canada, we finally have a reason for hope. This is a very good day for
IPF patients in Canada and I am optimistic that Canadians living with
IPF will be granted swift access to this treatment"

IPF is an interstitial lung disease with no known cause. It is
characterized predominantly by fibrosis (scarring) of the alveoli (air
sacs) in the lungs. In patients with IPF, the lung tissue becomes
scarred and over time, as the scarring becomes thicker and more
widespread, the lungs lose their ability to transfer oxygen into the
bloodstream. The disease is more common in men than women and is
usually diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 80 years. Studies suggest
that 5,000 to 8,000 Canadians suffer from IPF, with an estimated 3,000
to 5,000 having mild to moderate disease. There are an estimated 3,000
deaths each year in Canada associated with the disease.

About InterMune Canada Inc.
InterMune is a biotechnology company focused on the research,
development and commercialization of innovative therapies in
respirology and orphan fibrotic diseases. In respirology, the company
is focused on therapies for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary
fibrosis. Pirfenidone is approved for marketing by InterMune in the EU
and Canada as Esbriet™, and is currently in a Phase 3 clinical trial to
support regulatory registration in the United States. InterMune's
research programs are focused on the discovery of targeted,
small-molecule therapeutics and biomarkers to treat and monitor serious
pulmonary and fibrotic diseases. For additional information about
InterMune and its R&D pipeline, please visit www.intermune.com.